11th September 2001 is a marker in world history. It is the "where were you when..." moment of our generation. Much like July 20th 1969 was to a previous generation (Armstrong landing on the moon) and May 8th 1945 to a generation before that (V-E day), 9/11 is a day when everyone remembers what they were doing when they first heard or saw the news.
Sadly, since then the fears and
anxiety created by terrorist threats have become an ever present reality. We
wonder if we will ever be free of that sense of unease in our lives. Recent
events including the murder in Paris of an 80 year old priest celebrating
communion, continue to feed that unease.
Therefore, on this the 15th
anniversary of the 9/11 attack, it is worth pausing to consider how Christians
should respond when horrible things happen (whether it be the carnage resulting
from Islamic terrorism or an unexpected diagnosis in health or the sudden death
of a family member). As someone has put it “Where is God when it hurts so bad?”
Part of the answer Scripture gives,
is that the sadness we feel when bad things happen is one of God’s ways to tell
us that this world is not all there is. The book of Ecclesiastes puts it like
this:
“God has made everything beautiful in its time. He has also set
eternity in the hearts of men.”
In other words, the world is
filled with much that is good and lovely but often things/people/circumstances
‘interrupt’ our joy causing us to wonder if this life is all there is. When,
for example, relationships end and we feel heartbroken or when death strikes and
we experience desolation, these are huge pointers to our longing for eternal life.
All of us yearn for a world where there is no suspicion (of potential terrorists
or of anyone else), where there is no need for scanners (at the airport or at
the DGH) and where there is no sinfulness (big and public as at 9/11 or small
and hidden such as anger or lust).
Astonishingly,
the Bible offers us the chance to be part of such a wonderful sin-free world
for ever! It is an offer which comes through a man – Jesus Christ – who lived
the perfect life that none of us ever could and who died the death that each of
us deserved. It is only by believing in His death and resurrection that God
promises eternal life (rather than everlasting torment) – a life where there
will be no more sickness, suffering or sorrow but limitless joy!
The
phrase is true for the Christian believer: all will be well in the end. May we
– whatever our suffering – put our trust in Christ as we await that day when
all truly will be well, where evil will be finally overthrown and where Christ will
welcome all who trust in Him into His everlasting kingdom. Amen.
Parish magazine article for 11th September 2016 AD
